Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 657,549. Patentedpt. II, |900.

' A. L. KIFF.

AGETYLENE yGAS GENEBATDR.

(Applmion-md mi. 1s, 1999.) (No lodel.) l 2 s hem-sheat l.

*HH Il A. L. Klrr. AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Appumion amd-1m 1s, nap.) (lo lodh) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

"0.657,549. Patented Sept. Il, |900.

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`To all whom it may .conoci/n.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR L. KIFF, a citi-yy NITED STATES* PATENT' mcn.

ARTHUR i.. Kirn, oFcoRNiNG, NW Youn.`

ACETYLEN E-GS c. ENERATOR.

SPECIFICATIO forming part of Letters PatentNo; 657,549, dated September`il 1, 190. Application filed January 18, 1895i. y Serial No, '7702,539.(No modem zen of the United States, residing in Corning,

in the county of Steuben and State of New` York, have invented certainnew and usefull Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Generators;

Vand I do hereby declare the following to be a` fullfclear, and exactdescription of the in-` vention, such as Will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention has reference more particularly to apparatus forgenerating gas by the.y admixture or combination of a solid with aliquid, as calcium carbid With Water, for the production of acetylenegas for illuminating and other purposes. Y l One object of the inventionis to provider means for controlling the feed of the calciu`m= carbid tothe Water in .the generator by thel lessening force or expansive powerof the gasin the holder due to its consumption.

Further objects are to increase the capacityand effectiveness of theapparatus and provide simplified devices for feeding the carbid tothevwaterin the generator in predetermined-l or measured quantities.

The above and additional objects are attained by the means illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure l is a vertical sectionalView of anacetylene-gas generator constructed and ar-Y ranged inaccordance with .my improvements.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View showing more clearly the means foreffecting the release of the trays which hold the measuredA quantitiesof calcium carbid. Fig. 3 is a similar View to Fig. l, but showingamodiiication in the arrangement of the tilting trays and the means foroperating the catches to effect this release. Fig. Lisasimilar View toFig. 2, showing more clearly the arrangement indicated in Fig. 3. Fig. 5is a detail of the means for effecting in a progressive manner theoperation of the devices which successively release the trays.

Preliminarily to a more detailed description' it maybe stated that myimproved gas-generating apparatus comprises a number of hinged orpivoted trays upon which measured or predetermined quantities of thecarbid are placed, and these trays are arranged or superposed one aboveanother in a case or cabinet ,which is in open communication with Athegenerator, which contains the water into which the carbid is dumped orprecipitated. The spaces between the trays constitute compartments ofany desired capacity, and said "traysl are supported or held inhorizontal positions by means of suitable catches, which Vare operatedsuccessively to release the trays,

Vso as to enable them to fall or drop to a ver- ,tical position,and'thereby deliver the carbid to the water below. 4 The case or cabinetin whicll the trays are contained is preferably insertion and removal ofthe trays to be quickly effected. The means foroperating the catches forsuccessively releasing the trays comprisessuitable devices carried by ashaft which is operated by the descending movement of the movable caseof a telescopic gasometer or holder, into Which thegas passes from" thegenerator.

Reference ,being had to the drawings, l denotes an ordinary tank orgenerator containing Water 2, said tank being open at the top, asshown'at, and provided with an annular flange 4, so as to support anupper shell or casing 5,. which'is .provided with a flange 6, tting'orseated upon said flange 5, `to which it may bejsecured by any suitablemeans. In Fig.1 the said' flange 6 is extended on one side, so as toform the bottom 7 of a chamber 9, 'which incloses the operating-shaft 8of the releasing devices hereinafter referred to. The chamber Sisincluded within the shell or casing 5, and when reference is hereinaftermade to the latter it will be understood that both are meant. Y

Located in the casing 5', so as to be in open communication with thegenerator l, is an inner case or cabinet `lO,of any suitable shape orconfiguration Ain cross-section, butprefer.- ably corresponding Withthat 'of `thesl1ell 5. This cabinet rests at its lower end upon an inneriiange ll at the lower end of the casing 5 and is removable through theopening 12 at the top of said casing. The opening12 is IOO freely'within' all 4the sleeves 50,- which are loose upon it, as abovedescribed.v Immediat-ely on the starting of the shaft the finger 25 onthe fixed sleeve begins to dump the trays in the lowermost flat, all/theother sleeves remaining stationary (or f'if moved at all the movementsnot being sufficient to trip the catches) until the shaft has' made onerevolution, when the second sleeve is locked to the shaft by itsengagement with the firstmentioned. Another revolution of the shaft thentakes place and the third sleeve islocked to the first and second, allabove the third being meanwhile stationary. This locking of the sleevesto the shaft goes on until they are all positively engaged with oneanother, and every time a new sleeve is locked Vtothe one beneath it anew flat of trays begins to be dumped.

With the construction shown in- Fig. 3 a single removable cover may beemployed for the apparatus, or there may be aiseparate cover for eachvertical series of trays. Also in said Vfigure a single cabinet only maybe employed for all the trays, or a separate one may be used for eachseries of trays, as shown.

Without limiting myself to the precise details of construction andarrangement shownand described, I claim- I l. In an acetylene-generator,the combination with a Water-tank, of a series of stationary tiltingcarbid-trays, said trays being superposed one above another over thetank, catches for supporting the trays in horizontal position, and avertical rotary shaft provided with means to engage the catches andvrelease the trays in regular order beginning with the lowermost.

2. In an acetylene-generator, the combination with a water-tank, of aseries of stationary tilting carbid-trays, said trays being arranged inflats superposed one above another over the tank, catches for supportingthe trays in horizontal position, and a vertical rotary shaft providedwith means to engage the catches and release the trays in regular orderbeginning with the lowermost and the trays of each iiat being releasedbefore those of the flat next above.`

3. In an acetylene-generator, the combi'fiation with a water-tank, of asuperposed casing, a series of stationary removable tilting carbid-traysinclosed in said casing, said trays being arranged vertically one aboveanother, catches for holding said trays in horizontal position, and avertical rotary shaft provided with means toen gage and release thecatches of said trays in regular order beginning with the lowermost.

4.. In an acetylene-generator, the combination with a water-tank, of asuperposed casing, a stationary removable cabinet inclosed in saidcasing, a series of stationary tilting carbid-trays arranged in saidremovable cabinet one above another, catches carried by said cabinet forholding the trays in horizontal position, and means to engage andrelease.

the catches of said trays in regular order beginning with the .lowermost5. In an acetylene-generator, the combination with a water-tank, of asuperposed casing, a stationary annular cabinet removably inclosed insaid casing, aseries of stationary tilting carbid-trays arranged in Hatsin Said removable annular cabinet, one above another, catches carried bysaid cabinet for holding the trays in horizontal position, and avertical rotary shaft arranged centrally of the annular cabinet andprovided with means to engage and release the catches of the trays inregular order vbeginning with those Yof theV Y,

lowermost flat.

6. In an acetylene-generator, the combination with a water-tank, ofa'series of superposed tilting trays arranged in flats, each tray beingadapted to hold a quantity of carbid, a rotary operating-shaft, a seriesof snperposed sleeves on said shaft, the lowermost one of which is fixedon the shaft, and the remainder being capable of turning thereon,engaging devices between the sleeves, and means on the sleeves forsuccessively operating the trays to dump their contents into the waterin the generator.

7. In an acetylene-generator, the combination with a Water-tank, of aseries of radiallyarranged superposed tilting trays for holdingquantities of carbid, means for supporting the trays in horizontalpositions, a central rotary shaft, a series of normally-loose sleeves onthe shaft provided with ingersfor successively tilting the trays, afixed sleeve at the lower end of the shaft, and engaging devices betweenthe sleeves whereby the normally-loose sleeves are successively lockedto the shaft as the latter revolves.

8. In an acetylene-generator, the combination with a water-tank, of anouter casing, a removable cabinet in said casing, a series of superposedtilting trays arranged in said cabinet for holding carbid, catches forsupporting the trays'in horizontal position s,.a rotary shaft havingfingers to release the catches, a telescopic gas-holder, pipeconnections between the latter and the generator, and means intermediatesaid holder and the tray-operating shaft whereby said trays are releasedsuccessively to dump their contents into the water. 9. In anacetylene-generator, the combination with the generator, of a casingsupported by the same having a removable cover, a removable cabinetsupported in said casing and communicating at its lower end with thegenerator, a series of superposed hinged trays Aby the descendingmovements of the holder.

IOO

IIO

ries ofl stationary'trays'for'holding carbid', Athe trays ofreao'hseriesbeing arranged. one abov;

th other, afrotaryfvertical shaft'adjacent said t nians onlthelsha-'it'to successively engage: th

` catches fto dumpl tho trays;

nation with' 'aw Watcr-tan'k, of acasing sujj porposed alcove'l thjetank, a series oftilting shelves or trys'each adapted toholii. ai mcas=ured quanttyof carbid, and to dischargeV th sameby gravity through thecasingv into the tank below, catches for rholdingtho sholves or traysinhorizontalA position, and means for i automatically releasing thecatchessoasl to t kdumpk the shelves ortiys in regular'- oi'derbeginning with the-lo'wex'rno`st.v v

12.111 an acetylene-generator, thecombinatio-nj with 'a wstftank; of a.'casing su'- I'exfpos'ed abovef thc tank, a sei'esof tilting when, in.horizontal position: divide the .Casin g vintof- /eccpt'aclcs adapted:to holdmoasured quantities of carbid, 'andv arranged 'to dis`

